⚠JUST IN: Threat Actor Ryan Pepper is allegedly tortured in Dubai Detention

27-year-old threat actor Ryan Pepper, from Kent, United Kingdom has reportedly been held in UAE custody for over 7 months without formal charges or a court appearance.

During his detention, he allegedly suffered severe abuse, including repeated beatings and torture while imprisoned in Sharjah.

According to reports, Pepper managed to smuggle handwritten notes out of prison describing violent treatment and inhumane conditions, even nothing that his teeth were pulled out. His family claims they were left without information on his whereabouts for weeks after his disappearance.

Human rights campaigners are now calling on UK authorities to take stronger action, accusing the UAE of arbitrary detention practices and abuse of foreign nationals. The UK Foreign Office says it is providing consular support and has raised concerns with Emirati officials.

The case has reignited criticism surrounding the UAE’s detention system, with advocacy groups warning travelers about the risks of imprisonment and mistreatment in the country.

It is to note, that according to insider sources, it is alledged that other threat actors are getting similar treatment, notably people involved in the wave of arrests in December 2025, with some notable names tied to the theft in the $243M Genesis Creditor theft from August 2024, as well as other notable threat actors from the community causing well over 8 figures in damages.

Ironically, Dubai has long been viewed online as a safe haven for fraudsters, cybercriminals, and organized scam networks due to weak enforcement, luxury protection culture, and the difficulty foreign agencies face when pursuing suspects operating from the region. Over the past few years, countless figures tied to financial fraud, ransomware, crypto scams, and social engineering operations have openly relocated there believing they were untouchable.

However, recent arrests, detentions, extraditions, and international cooperation efforts suggest that image may slowly be changing. Authorities in the UAE appear to be increasing pressure on certain criminal networks, particularly as global attention surrounding cybercrime and financial fraud continues to grow.

@arch